1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer-implemented drawing programs, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for drawing a graphical element by associating the graphical element with an existing pattern.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiple occurrences of a graphical element may be organized into a particular pattern in a drawing program. Further, a user may often desire to organize different graphical elements into the same pattern. However, in the prior art, a pattern is uniquely associated with a single set of graphical elements. Accordingly, multiple similar patterns must be created and used for each set of different graphical elements. Such problems may be better understood by describing drawing programs, graphical elements, and patterns.
Computer-implemented drawing programs are often used to create, view, and modify solid models, assemblies, diagrams, flow charts, blue-prints, etc. (collectively referred to as drawings) in both two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D). The drawings comprise one or more graphical elements arranged in a defined format. In turn, the graphical elements may comprise one or more smaller graphical elements/entities.
Multiple occurrences of the same graphical element may be organized into a particular pattern. For example, multiple occurrences of the same graphical element may be organized into a rectangular, circular, or user-defined pattern. Further, the same pattern may be used for multiple different graphical elements. Such similarities may occur when the user desires to create an object such that different parts work cooperatively together. For example, a user may desire to create a bolt (or set of bolts) and a hole (or set of holes) that the bolt will be inserted into. Accordingly, a series of bolt graphical elements may be organized into a rectangular pattern that is identical to a rectangular pattern used for a series of hole graphical elements.
A particular pattern (e.g., rectangular or circular) may be selected from a list and layout details may be specified by the user (e.g., the number of rows and columns for a rectangular pattern or the diameter for a circular pattern). Once the pattern for a particular graphical element is selected and defined, multiple occurrences of the particular graphical element are displayed in the selected and defined pattern. Further, the multiple occurrences of the graphical element and the pattern are identified as mutually and exclusively belonging to each other. Thereafter, a change to the pattern is reflected in the display of the multiple graphical element occurrences.
However, once a particular pattern is defined for a graphical element, the instance of the particular pattern is exclusive and independent from any other instances. Accordingly, even if the same pattern is used for two different graphical elements, each pattern must be modified independently from the other pattern. Thus, in the above example, if a user modifies the number of holes, then the user must also independently modify the number of bolts so that they correspond. The prior art does not provide a method to create or associate a particular instance of a pattern with multiple different graphical elements.